2013年4月30日星期二

For the first time in its 49-year history, the Kansas City Repertory Theatre is up for a Tony Award, the annual prize that recognizes the best plays and musicals on Broadway each season.

File photo “A Christmas Story, the Musical,” which received its world premiere in 2009 at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre, was one of four Tony Award nominees for Best Musical announced Tuesday.

“A Christmas Story, the Musical,” which received its world premiere in 2009 at the Rep, was one of four nominees for Best Musical announced Tuesday. The show, based on the writings of humorist Jean Shepherd and director Bob Clark’s beloved 1983 movie, also was nominated for its book (by Joseph Robinette) and score (Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, music and lyrics).

The Rep and the 5th Avenue Theater in Seattle, where the show was staged after its Kansas City premiere, were among a long list of producers of “A Christmas Story” in its Broadway incarnation. Because of its seasonal nature, the show received a limited Broadway run from Nov. 19 through Dec. 30.

“I think it’s a testament to the art that can be produced in Kansas City,” said Scott Boswell, the Rep’s board chairman.

When artistic director Eric Rosen was hired five years ago, elevating the Rep’s national profile was one of the expectations spelled out by the board.

“A Christmas Story” is one of three shows connected to the Rep to have received New York productions so far. The others were “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” for which the Rep was a co-producer, and “Clay,” a one-man hip-hop musical that traveled to New York for a limited off-Broadway run after its engagement at the Rep.

Now, Rosen is in New York rehearsing “Venice,” an original musical he wrote with Matt Sax and which will open next month at the Public Theater, a prestigious off-Broadway company that has a history of transferring shows to Broadway. “Venice” received its world premiere at the Rep in 2010 and opens this month in New York.

Boswell said he also viewed the “Christmas Story” nominations as the result of 49 years of continual creative growth at the Rep “culminating in art recognized on a national stage.”

In order to produce the premiere of “A Christmas Story,” the Rep had to forgo its annual production of “A Christmas Carol,” a longtime audience favorite. There was some concern that the decision might alienate the potential audience for “A Christmas Story.”

“The Rep took some risks here,” Boswell said.

But in its initial Kansas City run, the show turned out to be a hit.

Rosen, in a prepared statement, extolled the popularity of the show in its original Kansas City run, calling it “the largest hit in Rep history.”

“I never would have dreamed that the Rep’s world premiere would go on to be honored with three Tony nominations,” Rosen said.

Producer Gerald Goehring, an alumnus of Wichita State University, also issued a statement.

“I can easily trace what I saw on stage at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (in New York) to those magical nights at the Rep,” Goehring said. “The love, care and integrity the entire Kansas City Rep organization infused the show with remained with the production. The Rep has been a terrific producing partner as we journeyed from Cherry Street in Kansas City to 45th Street in New York City.”

Other shows nominated for Best Musical are “Bring it On: The Musical,” “Kinky Boots” and “Matilda the Musical.” The annual awards show, to be broadcast by CBS, will be June 9.

A woman was reportedly run over by a vehicle on a highway ramp Tuesday night in Lenexa.

Police found the victim about 10:15 p.m. Tuesday on the ramp from eastbound Kansas 10 to northbound Interstate 435. A caller told police that the woman jumped out of a moving vehicle before she was struck by another vehicle.

Initial reports were that she was in critical condition. Police closed northbound 435 from K-10 to 95th Street while they investigated.

James Shields recovered from a shaky start Tuesday night and beat his former club when the Royals finally found some offensive punch in the late innings for an 8-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays at Kauffman Stadium.

JOHN SLEEZER Kansas City Royals starting pitcher James Shields (33) thanks first baseman Eric Hosmer (35) after grabbing a grounder hit by Tampa Bay Rays' Matt Joyce and beating him to first for an out in the fifth inning during Tuesday's baseball game on April 30, 2013, at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. John Sleezer/The Kansas City Star

It was an emotional night for Shields, who spent 12 years in the Rays’ organization before coming to the Royals in a transformative off-season trade.

And it didn’t start well.

Shields opened the game by surrendering a check-swing single and a booming homer but yielded nothing further in his seven innings before handing a 7-2 lead to Kelvin Herrera.

Those two early runs, however, looked bigger and bigger as the Royals struggled to solve Tampa Bay starter Alex Cobb. They finally did so by erupting for four two-out runs in the sixth inning.

It’s no small thing, either, that Eric Hosmer started the rally with a double, and Mike Moustakas crushed a two-run homer that provided the Royals with a 3-2 lead.

The Royals added three more runs, thanks to some sloppy Rays’ defense, in the seventh inning before Shields departed. Herrera worked around a one-out single in the eighth before Greg Holland closed the game in a non-save situation.

The victory enabled the Royals to close April at 14-10 and avoid their first three-game losing streak. Shields squared his record at 2-2 and lowered his ERA to 3.00 after limited his former club to two runs and five hits.

The Royals managed little against Cobb, 3-2, before erupting with two outs in the sixth inning.

Hosmer started the rally by slicing a double to left, and he scored when Lorenzo Cain pulled a an RBI single through the left side.

That ended a 15-inning scoreless streak that dated to the eighth inning of Sunday night’ 10-3 loss to Cleveland in the second game of a day-night doubleheader.

The Royals weren’t done.

Moustakas then unloaded on a 1-0 change-up for his first homer since Sept. 14, 2012. It was a no-doubter to right that gave the Royals a 3-2 lead.

Still not done.

Jeff Francoeur pulled a double to left and scored when Salvy Perez followed with an RBI single. Elliot Johnson’s single, which moved Perez to second, was the Royals’ sixth straight two-out hit.

That finished Cobb, who appeared in complete command before Hosmer’s double. Ex-Royals swingman Jamey Wright ended the inning by retiring Alex Gordon on a grounder to second.

Cobb’s final line showed four runs and 10 hits 5⅔ innings; he was a lot better than that until two outs in the sixth.

Not to be overlooked: Shields followed the four-run burst with a one-two-three shutdown inning before the Royals blew open the game with a three-run burst.

Alcides Escobar led off with a single against Gomes and stole second, which prompted a one-out intentional walk to Hosmer. Cain’s floater into short center fell between three players for a single that loaded the bases.

Moustakas delivered a sacrifice fly — on a 3-0 pitch — before Cain stole second. The throw by catcher Jose Molina sailed into the outfield for an error that permitted Hosmer to score. Cain went to third.

Francoeur followed with an RBI triple over the head of right fielder Ben Zobrist for a 7-2 lead. The Royals added their final run in the eighth on Billy Butler’s sacrifice fly.

The Royals finished with 14 hits, including at least one from every starter. The victory kept them one-half game behind first-place Detroit in the American League Central Division.

So it ended well, but the start, for Shields, couldn’t have been much worse.

His first pitch turned into a single by Desmond Jennings on a check-swing grounder up the middle. Matt Joyce then crushed a 3-1 fastball for a two-run homer to right field.

Two batters and down 2-0.

Evan Longoria drew a one-out walk and went to third on James Loney’s double to right, but Shields stranded both by striking out Yunel Escobar and Luke Scott.

Shields settled into a groove after those two runs, but the deficit seemed to grow larger as Cobb rolled through the Royals by inducing a series of ground outs as the innings rolled by.

The Royals got two singles in the second inning but stranded both runners when Johnson hit a two-out fly to left.

Johnson reached on a two-out single in the fifth, stole second and went to third on a wild pitch, but Cobb struck out Gordon on a full-count change-up.

Cobb was a ground-ball machine: one for an out in the first, two in the third, three in the fourth, two in the fifth and two more in the sixth before Hosmer’s double.

An official photograph captures the small and exclusive club that represents the modern face of international royalty.

Royals travelled from all corners of the globe to witness the swearing in today of the Netherlands' first king in 123 years in Amsterdam.

Monarchs from tiny European principalities lined up alongside Arab sheikhs and Japanese royals to pose with the new King Willem-Alexander, his wife Queen Maxima, and their three blonde daughters; Princesses Catherine Amalia, Alexia and Ariane.

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands (C, L) and his wife Queen Maxima (C, R) pose for a photo with members of the royal household, heads of state and government and special guests at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam

Resplendent in their finery - some in the traditional costumes of their home nations - the international crowd included Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.

The female contingent in the photograph includes some of Europe's most glamorous women, from Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria to Princess Letizia of Spain and Denmark's Crown Princess Mary.

Hereditary Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein, who attended with her husband hereditary prince Alois, was striking in a bright green dress with a matching fascinator, while Princess Mathilde of Belgium wore a bold pink gown set off by a wide-brimmed hat in a slightly lighter shade.

Striking guests from further afield included Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco, the princess consort of King Mohammed VI of Morocco, who wore a floor length green velvet gown with golden embroidery.

Her attendance at the ceremony was representative of how much has changed since 1890 - the last time there was a king of the throne in the Netherlands - as she is the first wife of a Moroccan ruler to have been publicly acknowledged and given a title.

It may still be an exclusive club with a relatively small membership.

That said, when the last king of the Netherlands, William III, came to the throne in 1849 the group would have likely been considerably less international - made up mostly of European Royalty.

But today, the four corners of the globe truly were represented, with monarchs from nations such as Qatar in attendance this time around.

Several of the contingent wore traditional costumes in what was a meeting of cultures as well as nationalities.

Representatives from Oman and Bahrain for example wore traditional keffiyeh.

Both men and women among the group were adorned with a variety of different colorured sashes which are part of the insignia that comes with membership in an order of merit or chivalry.

The majority of countries have an honour to bestow, regardless of whether they are a monarchy or not and not all of those pictured are wearing colours belonging to their own nation.

Also posing among the rows of royals are Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako - who wore a simple, long-sleeved cream dress with a matching hat - and Crown Prince Billah of Brunei and his wife Sarah.

Dutch Princess Christina and her son Bernardo

Prince Bernhard of Orange-Nassau, and Princess Annette

Kofi Annan and his wife Nane

Crown Princess Sarah wore a long gown lavender gown embroidered with flowers, and a matching headscarf.

Among the non-royal special guests smiling for the camera are the former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and his wife Nane, the President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso and his wife Maria Sousa Uva, and the President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy and his wife Geertrui.

Crown Prince Willem-Alexander, 46, became Europe's youngest monarch when he was inaugurated today.

His mother Beatrix, 75, signed the abdication deed this morning after 33 years on the throne.

End of an era: Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands signs the act of abdication next to her son Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and his wife Crown Princess Maxima during a ceremony at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam

New generation: Queen Beatrix passes the act of abdication to her son Crown Prince Willem-Alexander who smiled widely as he signed the act

New queen: Maxima wore a pale rose-coloured dress with a shimmery skirt and enormous bow on her left shoulder. The father of three's wife becomes Queen Maxima and their eldest daughter, Catharina-Amalia, becomes Princess Orange and first in line to the throne

Support: The 46-year-old, the first Dutch king in more than 100 years, gripped his mother's hand after they both put their signatures on the abdication document at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam

Retirement: Mother and son share an intimate moment as they sit at the table during the abdication ceremony

Change: Beatrix signed the abdication document in front of the Dutch cabinet in an ornate room today

On show: Princess Beatrix wore a sober purple dress while her granddaughters, including nine-year-old Catharina-Amalia who has become Princess of Orange and is now first in line to the throne, all wore matching yellow dresses

Meet and greet: Beatrix greets guests at her abdication ceremony in the Moseszaal of the Royal Palace

Big day: The daughters of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima (l to r) Princess Ariane, Princess Catharina Amalia and Princess Alexia sit patiently during the ceremony

Official: The signed act of abdication of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands is seen after the official meeting at the Royal Palace this morning

Bittersweet: The new Dutch and his wife followed Princess Beatrix on to the balcony to greet the crowds

Handover: 'Today, I make way for a new generation,' said Beatrix, 75, who now takes the title of Princess

Goodbye: King Willem-Alexander kisses his mother as the royal trio appear on the balcony of the Royal Palace at the Dam Square

New leader: King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and his mother Princess Beatrix greet the crowd of Dam Square from the balcony of the Royal Palace Amsterdam, following the official abdication

Gesture: Princess Beatrix embraces her son and his wife. The celebrations will continue throughout the day

Emotional: The 75-year-old looked close to tears as she then appeared on a balcony overlooking some 20,000 of her subjects

Patriotic: King Willem-Alexander, Dutch Princess Beatrix and Dutch Queen Maxima sing the national anthem on the balcony

Tender: Queen Maxima smiles as she watches her husband and mother exchange a kiss on one of the most important days of their lives

Bowing out: Princess Maxima steps back inside leaving the new King and Queen on the balcony to the delight of the crowd

New beginnings: King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima wave from the balcony of the Royal Palace with their daughters Catharina-Amalia, Ariane, and Alexia

Royal duty: King Willem-Alexander raises his right hand as he swears to uphold the Dutch constitution during his investiture ceremony next to Queen Maxima in the Nieuwe Kerk or New Church in Amsterdam

Blue vision: Dutch King Willem-Alexander and his wife Queen Maxima take their place in Nieuwe Kerk or New Church in Amsterdam for his inauguration

Next chapter: As King Willem-Alexander and his wife Queen Maxima took centre stage in Nieuwe Kerk, a decommissioned church, Princess Beatrix smiled happily, watching the proceedings with her three granddaughters, who all wore matching royal blue dresses

Family: Princess Beatrix shares a quiet moment with her granddaughter as Queen Maxima smiles proudly during the ceremony this afternoon

Pledge: King Willem-Alexander, wearing a fur-trimmed ceremonial mantle, swore an oath of allegiance to his country and the constitution